suppose

sup·pose

1. To assume to be true or real for the sake of argument or explanation: Suppose we win the lottery.

2.

a. To believe, especially on uncertain or tentative grounds: Scientists supposed that large dinosaurs lived in swamps.

b. To consider to be probable or likely: I suppose it will rain.

3. To imply as an antecedent condition; presuppose: "Patience must suppose pain"(Samuel Johnson).

4. To consider as a suggestion: Suppose we dine together.

v.intr.

To imagine; conjecture.

[Middle English supposen, from Old French supposer, alteration (influenced by poser, to place) of Medieval Latin suppōnere, from Latin, to put under : sub-, sub- + pōnere, to place; see apo- in Indo-European roots.]

suppose

(səˈpəʊz)

vb (tr; may take a clause as object)

1. to presume (something) to be true without certain knowledge: I suppose he meant to kill her.

2. to consider as a possible suggestion for the sake of discussion, elucidation, etc; postulate: suppose that he wins the election.

[C14: from Old French supposer, from Medieval Latin suppōnere, from Latin: to substitute, from sub- + pōnere to put]

supˈposableadj

supˈposern

sup•pose

(səˈpoʊz)

v. -posed, -pos•ing.v.t.

1. to assume (something), as for the sake of argument: Suppose you won a million dollars in the lottery.

2. to consider (something) as a possibility or plan: Suppose we wait until tomorrow.

3. to believe or assume as true; take for granted.

4. to think or hold as an opinion: What do you suppose he will do?

5. to require logically; imply; presuppose.

6. (used in the passive) to expect or require (fol. by an infinitive verb): The machine is not supposed to make noise. She was supposed to meet me here.

v.i.

7. to assume something; presume; think.

[1275–1325; Middle English < Old French supposer=sup-sup- + poser to pose1; compare Medieval Latin suppōnere to suppose, Latin: to substitute, place below]

sup•pos′er,n.

suppose

1. 'suppose'

If you suppose that something is true, you think it is probably true.

I suppose it was difficult.

I suppose he left fairly recently.

2. 'don't suppose'

Instead of saying that you suppose something is not true, you usually say that you don't suppose that it is true.

I don't suppose anyone cares much whether he stays or goes.

I don't suppose you've ever seen anything like this before!

You can use I don't suppose as a very polite way of asking or suggesting something.

I don't suppose you'd like to come out for a drink?

3. 'I suppose so'

If someone says that something is true, or asks you whether something is true, you can say 'I suppose so' as a way of agreeing with them or saying 'yes' but showing that you are not very certain or enthusiastic.

'It was good, wasn't it?'  'I suppose so.'

'Shall we go'  'I suppose so.'

Be Careful!Don't say 'I suppose it'.

4. 'I suppose not'

Similarly, you can agree with a negative statement or question in a way that shows you are not very certain by saying 'I suppose not'.

'It doesn't often happen.'  'No, I suppose not.'

'You don't want this, do you?'  'I suppose not.'

5. 'suppose' used as a conjunction

You can use suppose as a conjunction when you are considering a possible situation or action and trying to think what effects it would have.

Suppose we don't tell anyone, and somebody finds out about it.

Suppose you had a million dollars, what would you do?

Supposing can be used in a similar way.

Supposing something should go wrong, what would you do then?

Supposing he's right, it could be very serious.

6. 'be supposed to'

If something is supposed to be done, it should be done because of a rule, instruction, or custom.

You are supposed to report it to the police as soon as possible.

I'm not supposed to talk to you about this.

If something is supposed to be true, people generally think that it is true.

The house was supposed to be haunted by a ghost.

She was supposed to be a very good actor.

Be Careful!Don't say that something 'is suppose to' be done or be true. Don't say, for example, 'The house is suppose to be haunted'.

speculate - talk over conjecturally, or review in an idle or casual way and with an element of doubt or without sufficient reason to reach a conclusion; "We were speculating whether the President had to resign after the scandal"

2.

suppose - expect, believe, or suppose; "I imagine she earned a lot of money with her new novel"; "I thought to find her in a bad state"; "he didn't think to find her in the kitchen"; "I guess she is angry at me for standing her up"

For 12 minutes, we were supposed to be deeply concerned and (I suspect) horrified viewers of concentration camps--and then, presto, we're carefree shoppers wheeling along aisle six in search of coffee cake.

Without any time to ponder whatever it was we were supposed to pretend to learn, it was then, quite naturally, off to our sponsors.

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